Reports to the Board of Agriculture . 1 1 
females. How the winter is passed is not known. In the early 
and late summer they feed upon wild Chcnopodiums and mangolds 
and in the autumn on A triplex latifolia. 
Not only does this aphis cause the leaves to roll up longitudinally, 
but they also feed upon the seed heads of the mangold. 
Spraying with paraffin emulsion or quassia wash would check 
their increase and clear most of them off. This, of course, should not 
be done when the sun is out. 
Flies ( Bibionidce ) on Mangolds. 
Some flies were sent by a correspondent from Billerieay of the 
dipterous family — Bibionkhe, species Bibio hortulanus — from a field 
of mangolds cleared off in one night. 
These flies can have had nothing to do with the two acres of 
mangold reported to have been destroyed. 
Although their larvae are more or less injurious to roots, the 
adult flies do no harm, not having a biting or piercing mouth. 
The damage reported seems to point to the small beetle recently 
sent to the Board from North Devon — the Pigmy Mangold Beetle 
(Atomarict linearis), which is evidently abundant in some parts. 
The correspondent was advised to look for these small beetles, 
which may be most easily caught by pulling up the young mangolds 
and the earth round them, when the beetles fall out of the soil. On 
fine days they occur above ground as well (vide page 8). 
In any case the flies sent cannot have damaged the mangolds in 
the way reported. 
Muscid Larvae attacking Roots. 
A correspondent of the Board of Agriculture sent from Burley 
Beacon, Bing wood, Hants, two different kinds of larvae attacking 
roots of plants. 
(1) A dipterous maggot changed during transit into the so-called 
chrysalis or puparium stage of one of the flies belonging to the 
group Anthomyidce. There are several of these diptera which are 
root-feeders in their maggot stage. Probably the one sent was 
Anthomyia radieum, L. 
(2) Three small larvae which were the caterpillars of one of the 
Tineae. 
The damage was probably all caused by the Anthomyia larvae, 
which are often serious root pests. 
